QUESTION: My son is 10 and plays in a league that deemphasizes contact. However, other leagues that we are playing against are hitting harder, so their coaches must be pushing contact. What is right at this age?

ANSWER:
The spirit behind deemphasizing contact in youth lacrosse is two-fold. One, it protects the safety of the players, and two, it helps keep the focus on skill development. Another important factor is that kids quit sports because they are not having fun. Going out there and being a little guy trying to learn the game and being worried about getting hit is not fun. And I think young players can get intimidated by the physical aspect of lacrosse. So, it's not about impeding the development of young men, but rather protecting the development of his peers. There will be plenty of time to be physical as players grow older.